Master of Science students receive a broad education in a variety of areas of vision science as well as training in the concepts and methods used in both basic and clinical research. A total of 40 semester credit hours in courses or research is required. In addition, students must complete a thesis and oral defense. The combined OD/MS degree program is designed for students interested in conducting independent, original research as an adjunct to their optometric education, including those aspiring to a career in academia.
Qualified first year OD students at the SUNY College of Optometry may apply for admission into the Graduate Program in Vision Science leading to the joint OD/MS degree. OD students apply to the OD/MS program during the Fall semester of their first year in the OD Program. Accepted students enter the MS degree program in the Spring Semester of their first year. Elective time during the regular academic year and summers is devoted to graduate courses and research. This enables students to fulfill both OD and MS degree requirements within four years.
Students who are accepted into the OD/MS program do not pay any additional tuition for the MS degree portion during the four years they are enrolled in the OD program.
To be considered for admission to the OD/MS Program in Vision Science, an applicant must have completed the following requirements:
The deadline for submitting the completed application to the OD/MS Program is January 4, 2021.
The Graduate Program in Vision Science provides comprehensive research training that positions our students to achieve career success and make significant contributions to the field. It combines a rigorous, intellectual program of study and research with an interactive, collegial sense of community.
The Graduate Program in Vision Science operates within the Graduate Center for Vision Research (GCVR). For a concise overview of the program, including its admission requirements, degree requirements and curriculum, please download our Graduate Policy Document or Doctoral Student Handbook.
For more information on the Graduate Program in Vision Science, please contact:
Debra Berger
Graduate Center for Vision Research
SUNY College of Optometry
33 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Phone: (212) 938-5540
Email: dberger@sunyopt.edu